A small group again (just Judi, Pete, Helen, Masha and Mick) but a sunny evening after the rain. It may seem ludicrous to some but protecting the tansy plants from competing vegetation has helped the Tansy Beetle population enormously. The areas around the Pond are prone to bindweed pulling down the plants and the quite gigantic yellow loosestrife increasingly taking over the areas in late summer – the less aggressive purple loosestrife is present but no trying to take over.
There were still plenty of Tansy Beetles about especially on the northern mound where the plants look as if a plague of locusts rather than Tansy Beetle larvae have hit them. There were also beetles along the Ings Dyke. Given the numbers of beetles it would be hard to say whether these are last years or part of the 2017 brood (for a good explanation of the Tansy Beetle life cycle visit the Tansy Beetle Hub).
The next work parties are:
| Month | Sun | Thurs | Task |
| August 2017 |
27 |
3 | Plant Gypsywort (near Pond) and Tansy along Ings Dyke
Bee bank management at north of site |
| Sept 2017 | 10 | Spreading Yellow Rattle on Cornfield Grassland – clearing around tansy and rescuing unused barn owl box on grassland | |
| October 2017 | 8 | Water vole scrape – pull out as much reedmace as possible from the extended pond so that it does not out-compete the Phragmites | |
| November 2017 | 19 | Coppicing and clearing within Blue Beck Copse | |
| December 2017 | 3 | Water vole scrape – pull out as much reedmace as possible from the extended pond so that it does not out-compete the Phragmites | |
| January 2018 | 7 | Cut back blackthorn in Reservoir Basin to create more space and light for expansion of orchids | |
| In addition | |||
| Cut and remove Pond | |||
| Erect remaining Barn Owl box |
May be some variation due to water levels.
Sunday work parties from 10:30 am until about 13:00pm.
Thursday from 6:30 pm until dark
Volunteers are always welcome anytime to keep site safe, clean and secure.
The Friends of Rawcliffe Meadows 